Living purposefully has two aspects to it:
(i) The depth of one’s own engagement with purpose
(ii) The scope or range of one’s purpose
Let us explore both dimensions.
Scope and depth of engagement with purpose can be at three levels:
Level 1:
One can live within the broad framework of a purpose. For example, if a company decides to be conscious of sustainability, then Level 1 of engagement is to operate within structures and processes that support sustainability.
In other words, adherence to a set of socio-ethical norms and processes.
Level 2:
One can engage more deeply with purpose by actively working in and through the purpose. For example, the same company above could innovate and create a range of new sustainability models that transform the way business is done.
In other words, operating with new rules, new models, and new practices that enable emergence of purpose.
Level 3:
At the deepest, most personal level, one can translate purpose into new modes of personal thought and action that demand new commitments, new orders of intentionality, and new identities. In such cases, there is deep, long-term, irrevocable transformation in the people seeking to live by a higher purpose. This means an inner evolution in each individual trying to live the purpose.
This can be depicted as follows:
